There are some who believe in 'strict construction' when it comes to civil liberties and human rights, but find all manner of "powers" when it comes to government. It's the most obscene of all reversals.

The Constitution very clearly limits the powers of government, reserving all (enumerated or not!) rights, liberties, and freedoms to the People - who cannot "vote them away"!!! There is absolutely no ethical interpretation of the Constitution that permits the Executive or Legislature to expand the power and authority of Government beyond the strict boundaries of the Constitution or, through legislated entitlements (i.e. corporations), create authoritarian clones that obliterate individual human rights and civil liberties!!

In answer to the question of "Does a Democracy have the 'right' to commit suicide?" I answer: "Not through the mechanism of government established under the Constitution!" The Constitution, properly understood, prohibits the government it establishes from being used as the gas chamber for Democracy.

At the very core of the powers of government is the power to protect those very rights and liberties from infringement of any kind, especially from "enemies, foreign and domestic"! The very underpinnings of a Constitutional government are the ongoing rights, liberties, and freedoms of a People to even establish the Constitution itself! In failing to defend those those rights and freedoms, a government delegitimizes itself! Oligarchs are those very "enemies"!! Plutocrats are those very "enemies"!

Roberts has demonstrated absolutely no comprehension of this fundamental, being an authoritarian sycophant.

I was less concerned about the bizarre construction of the statutes than the argument that the "inherent power" of the executive allows the president to disregard treaties and statutes--secretly, of course--on his mere say-so.

I agree with you. You gotta know when and where to pick your fights...and also if you have the bullets to do the job. Many here don't realize how few options Democrats have in this process. Or they just want a fight for the sake of a fight. "We can battle everything all at once"...those are the first to shoot in the circular firing squad and usually far from where the action is when the game is really on.

As I always say when something of this sort happens...if a person is sooooo pissed and upset then get to your local Democratic party offices and see what help they need. Elections are a little more than a year away and the 2006 elections will be the biggest watershed of our lives. More Repugnican seats give them a veto-proof House & Senate and we're really screwed...but Democratic gains mean starting to bring this country back from the destruction of the past 5 years.

Regardless of win or lose, the dems do the exact same thing. Stand up for our values, our consitution. Oppose theirs. Whether it wins or loses in the confirmation battle is besides the point. If it loses now, it'll win the election.

16. I think the whole point is to FORCE the use of the nuclear option.

Which will make the Senate Republicans (and Bush) look like the dictatorial prickes they are and give the Democratic leadership the excuse they need to shut down the congress. If Roberts is confirmed, Roe and everybody's right to privacy goes out the window. Corporate power will be greatly expanded. Worker's rights and environmental legislation will be rolled back so far you'll think you're living in Mexico. Nominations like this are what the filibuster's made for--there's no rational excuse for holding back. Shut the motherfucker down!

If Roberts is as illiberal as he seems, then liberals should fight against the nomination as strongly as they can, even if there's a 99.9% chance he will be confirmed anyway. And it's not just a matter of principle (although it certainly is that); there is also the very pragmatic reason that there isn't much chance of advancing the liberal philosophy among the electorate if liberals aren't willing to take every opportunity to at least vocalize it.

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